ARKADELPHIA - Not even playing against the Gulf South Conference's worst defense could help all of Arkansas Tech's offensive woes.

The Wonder Boys could manage only one first down in the second half Saturday night and failed to convert on two late scoring opportunities, resulting in an 18-12 loss to Henderson State at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium.

Tech (1-4, 0-3) managed only 36 yards total offense to a Reddie team that entered the game allowing more than 600 yards per game. The Wonder Boys went three-and-out on their first four possessions of the second half before picking up their only first down on a pass from Tadd Farmer - filling in for an injured Mark Ewersmann - to Ahmad Lewis midway in the fourth quarter.

Henderson even gave Tech two opportunities to score in the final three minutes. A bad snap on a punt attempt resulted in the Wonder Boys getting the ball on the Reddie 20 with 2:46 remaining.

However, Farmer threw three consecutive incomplete passes before his toss on fourth down was intercepted by Sam Witcher in the end zone for a touchback with 2:22 on the clock.

But along came another scoring chance. On second down, Henderson quarterback Blake Christenson fumbled the ball, and Jeff Carter recovered to give Tech the ball at the Henderson 20 with 2:08 remaining.

However, what happened on the previous drive made Wonder Boy Coach Steve Mullins apprehensive in trying the passing game. He went to the ground with Marcus Godfrey, who picked up runs of 7 and 2 yards to give Tech a third-and-short situation with time running down.

But on the next play, Farmer fumbled the snap and lost 2 yards, setting up a fourth-down call. Tech went to Godfrey again, but Henderson defensive end Michael McClellan stopped the play inches of the first down with 46 seconds remaining, giving the Reddies the chance to run out the clock.

The Wonder Boys could do little wrong on their opening possession, driving 77 yards in 15 plays and taking more than six minutes off the clock. Godfrey, who finished with 119 yards on 27 carries, took the ball on 10 of those plays, including a 2-yard touchdown run with 8:40 left in the first quarter. The extra-point kick, however, was missed, leaving Tech's lead at 6-0.

A pass interference call negated what would have been a diving interception for Tech and gave Henderson a first down in the first quarter. The next play proved to be a 39-yard pass from Christenson to B.K. Byrd to the Tech 27, and Jayvian Johnson scored on a 5-yard run four plays later, with Zach Elbert's PAT kick putting the Reddies ahead 7-6 with 1:07 left in the first quarter.

The score stayed that way until late in the first half, when Farmer hit Isaac Stroud with a 37-yard pass to the Henderson 13. Godfrey gave the Wonder Boys the lead on the next play, bursting up the middle for the touchdown, but the two-point conversion failed to leave Tech's lead at 12-7 with 1:18 before halftime.

Henderson did try to score before intermission, moving from its 38 to the Tech 21 with eight seconds left. But Elbert's 39-yard field goal attempt was short, allowing the Wonder Boys to enjoy the halftime lead.

The Reddies changed that on their opening drive of the second half, with Arthur Burnett's 34-yard run on the first play moving the ball to the Tech 22. Five plays later, Christenson ran the option around right end and lunged enough for the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown run, then Scotty Wilson's two-point conversion run gave Henderson a 15-12 lead with 12:03 left in the third quarter.

Tech avoided another score when Wilson fumbled an option pitch, and Mike Houston recovered on the Wonder Boy 13. Tech couldn't do it again as the Reddies drove to the Wonder Boy 16 before Elbert kicked a 33-yard field goal, making it 18-12 with 1:27 remaining.

Tech wound up with 270 yards total offense, with Godfrey accounting for 119 of the Wonder Boys' 163 yards rushing. Farmer hit only 6 of 22 passes for 78 yards with two interceptions, while Ewersmann was 4 of 7 for 29 yards before leaving the game in the second quarter.

Henderson wound up with 341 yards total offense, with 225 of that coming on 61 rushing attempts. Burnett led the Reddies with 58 yards on eight carries, followed by Christenson with 56 yards on 25 carries, Chip Reeves with 52 yards on eight carries and Johnson with 51 on 13 carries. Christenson also completed 6 of 19 pass attempts for 116 yards.

Tech returns to action next weekend with homecoming as Delta State journeys to Buerkle Field for a 2 p.m. kickoff.